Lot number 2938 - Auction 160
MODERNE ITALIENISCHE VIOLINE BEZ. 'ERMANO FONTANA'

MODERN ITALIAN VIOLIN LABELED 'ERMANO FONTANA' Likely Castel San Pietro, Italy, 1973 Two-piece spruce top and maple back, brownish-orange varnish; includes case. 4/4 size; total length approx. 59.5 cm, body length approx. 35.7 cm. Label reads: 'Ermano Fontana fecit in Castel S. Pietro Anno 1973'. High-quality workmanship; marked 'Ermano Fontana' (a trade name/pseudonym not historically documented). The instrument was likely made in Castel San Pietro (Emilia-Romagna), a region where numerous independent violin makers and workshops operated within the tradition of the Bolognese school of violin making. The so-called 'New Italians' of this period often drew inspiration from the classical models of the Bolognese school and are characterized by solid craftsmanship. Minor signs of wear; rest. Provenance: Private collection, North Rhine-Westphalia.